Vapor electric apparatus.



P. G. HEWITT.

VAPOR ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED HAY 13, 1004 1,069,695. Patented. Aug. 12,1913.

Be it known that I, -PETER a citizen of the United States, and resident- 'of New. York, county of New York, State eem assessments new Yon-1g, u. v, assreaoa, iav ratsNE ASSIGNMENTS, r -,',-,coorne,nnwrrr nrncrm'c COMPANY, or nencxnrrunwanassma coerced.

T1011 NEW JERSEY.

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Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed May 13, 1904. Serial No, 207,757.

vAroa E ECTRIC arrhnarus.

Patented Aug. 12,1913.

To aZZ whom'z't may concern Coors Hnwrrr,

of New York, havev invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vapor Else trio Apparatus, of specification.

I have fou ndthat it is possible to maintain a divided circuit in a vapor electric a which the following is a .paratus, having a plurality of negative el 0- trodes anda common positive electrode.

Who the point at which the current enters the negative electrode is fixed, as by making use of'a platinum or other projecting elemcntcapable of forming a meniscus or of being wettod by the material of the negative electrode, I find that the negativeelectrode characteristics are such that a divided current can be maintained as set forth above. The point of entrance of the current to the negative electrode may be provided through a projectionof platinum or other suitable material, or t may be provided by means of a ring ofplatinum or other suitable material located inthe mercury or other liquid constituting the negative electrode. In eitherfcase, the meniscus formed around the point or along the edge of contact between the liquid and the ring serves to steady the action-of the current at the negative electrode and to insure a uniform connection at the negative electrode so far as thepassage of current into the same is concerned, and decreases the tendency of the resistance to vary. In other words the normal resistance at the negative electrode of the vapor apparatus is controllable and made more 'constant when a projection. is utilized for locating the entrance of the current into the negative electrode. Under conditions such as described, the employment of a common posi tive electrode in combination with two or more negative electrodes is possible. In systems of distribution wherein vapor rectlfiers are used, this characteristic is important,

container of a vapor electric, rectifier, 2 and 3 are negative electrodes of mercury, and 4 1s a common positive electrode. The elec- ,trode 4 may be of iron, graphite, or other suitable material and the electrodes 2 and 3 may be of any volatilizable conducting liquid suited to the purposes of the invention. I have shown platinum points, fraud 6, projecting above the surface of the electrodes 2 and 3, respectively, the same being.

typical of 'deviccs'which may. be used in connection'with mercury. or other electrodes for forming an upward meniscus whereby the entranccof the current into the negative electrodes is facilitated and regulated.- At 7 I show a generator of electricity, one pole of which is connected through aconductor, 8, with a lead-wire, 9, extending to the positive electrode 4. From the other side of the generator 7 a conductor, 10, extends in multiple to the'negative lead-wires, 11 and 12,

through work-circuits, 13 and 14, respectively. The two work-circuits may contain translat ng devices, 15,15 and 16, 16, of any suitable chhracter. In practice I have found that a rectifier such as that shown in 'the drawing will pass current through both the electrodes 2 and 3, and I propose to utilize this characteristic in cases where it is desirable to have separate work-circuits supplied through the same rectifier.

In Figure 2 I show two positive electrodes, 4, 4 and two negative electrodes, 2 and 3, as before. In the negative electrodes may be included work-circuits, 13 and 14, as before. An apparatus of this sort is found to be operative for'systems of distribution 'such as that illustrated in the figure, and it has the advantage of supplying a single rectifying apparatus in place of a plurality of such devlcesi In Fig. 3, applicant shows a modification of Fig. 2 in which the work circuits 13 and 14 here identified as 18 and 14, are placed in the .leads of the positive electrodes 4; and 4 respectively.

Many other uses for the rectifying apparatus might be devised, and the present The work. circuits may be on tho negative sialo of the vapor opparc'a'l-us, or in case of two or more posmve clecirolcs filo sidc.

1 tho claim. cloof'ro-alcs arc which. follow, the nogollvo csczlbecl as coordinate olocl'rollcs. m. is expression aticua-ion cmlccl to tho fact that the sovcral negative cleci'rodes are. Working elootroclos in (lislinction from supplemental or temporarily operating floztvoolcsv In a divisional application her 69,342, filcclel amza'iy 5th. 191.2, claims are maolo on certain structural *lloaturos of the inventlon heroin shown.

3. claim as my il'rvcniionz 1. A vapor electric apparatus having a plurality of negatlvo electrodes and o comznon positive oloctz'oolo, in oombinutlon with Elcrial. Noam v scparaio Work-circuit cormectocl with each J oco-om;

multlplo to several negative clealrodcs; through so/parole Work clrcmts.

A 'm or eloolurio apparatus having a oluralzty o1 nogative electrodes and gm comv anon positive elcclrodc, the negative electrolios being supplied. with projections, as described, together with a divided connection from no neo'a'uivaaloowoos to @ho terminal of a suitaole source.

A vapor ofloctrio apparatus having a plurality of negative olootnodcs. composed 02. a conduct-111g llQ mid, and {L common pos1- the electrode, ihc negative electroolos being suppllod ml-n PZ'OJQCUORS capable of belng Watt-ed by the liquid, m combmatlon Wlllll a gfiflifillfll" supplymg current to tho appnrams, one polo of such generator bemg c0nnoel/eel to the common positive electrode, and

the other pole thereof being connected in multiple to the saveral negativo electrodes.

6. A. vapor electric apparatus having plurality of liquid negative, elootrodesancl a common posiivc electrode, each negative electrode. being supplied with a projection of being wottcol by the liquid, togotllcr with a dlVlLlQCl connection from the negative electrodes to the terminal. of a suit able source,

'2. In an electric circuit a vapor apparalus having a plurality of negative cloclrodes of conducting liquid, each electrode hzwuw a pro cctlo'n capable of hemp; Wettccl by l1 mid liquid and all being included in. a divided oil-cult, a positive electrode, and a work circuit included in each of the. branches of the (lividod circuit.

Signed at New York, i-nthe county of Now York, and State of New York, this ll'bll clay of May, A. T).

PETER GQUPEB HEWITT.

Wiincsses:

i-l. QAFEL, GEORGE; El. STooKBmoo-E.

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